1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image recording apparatus and an image recording method.
2. Description of the Related Art
Image recording apparatuses that irradiate recording targets with lasers to heat the recording targets and record visible images on the recording targets have been known.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2010-52350 describes an image recording apparatus provided with a laser irradiation device such as a laser array that includes a plurality of semiconductor lasers serving as laser light emitting elements arranged in an array and irradiates positions different from one another in a certain direction with laser light emitted from the respective semiconductor lasers, for example. The image recording apparatus in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2010-52350 irradiates a recording target with laser light to record a visible image on the recording target moving relatively to the laser irradiation device in a direction different from the certain direction.
As a method for recording an image on a curved surface, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2008-06468 proposes a method in which laser light emitted from a single laser light emitting element is deflected by a galvano mirror, a focal position of laser light is adjusted by a Z-axis scanner for performing image and optical corrections on a preset shape, and an image is recorded, for example. For another example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2008-68312 proposes a method in which image and optical corrections are performed on a preset shape on the basis of a distance detection result, and an image is recorded.
The image forming method using a single laser light emitting element can accurately record an image on a curved surface by performing an image angle correction with the galvano mirror and an optical correction with the Z-axis scanner on the curved surface. These corrections, however, cannot be utilized when a plurality of laser optical elements are used without laser light deflection scanning.
There is a problem in that an image recorded on a recording surface is distorted when the recording surface is a curved surface such as a case where the recording target has a cylindrical shape and the image is recorded on a side surface of the cylindrically shaped recording target.